This invention relates generally to anti-theft devices for automobiles and, more particularly, is directed to an anti-theft device for automobile audio equipment.
Many automobiles are equipped with expensive audio systems, including, for example, AM/FM stereo radios, cassette tape players, equalizers and the like. Many of these systems, particularly in higher priced automobiles, are very expensive. As a result, a strong market for stolen audio equipment has evolved. It has been said that a thief can enter and remove a radio from an automobile in approximately 90 seconds. Since the risk is minimal and the gain is large, a multi-million industry for stolen automobile radios has evolved.
Accordingly, various devices for preventing theft of such audio equipment have been proposed. One such device that has been used includes an outer housing in which the radio is slidably mounted such that the radio is removed by the owner when leaving the automobile. This, however, is cumbersome in use since the radio cannot always be carried by the owner. Alternatively, the owner removes the radio and hides it in the trunk of the vehicle. However, a thief often opens the trunk also and can therefore remove such radio. Further, the car owner often forgets to remove the radio, and such radio is easily removed by a thief.
Another approach has been to provide a removable cover in front of the radio so as to conceal the same. In the first place, the cover can often be removed by the thief. Secondly, this approach is disadvantageous from the viewpoint of use. Specifically, whenever the user enters the automobile, he must insert a key to unlock the cover and then remove the cover from the front of the radio, thereby rendering use of the device cumbersome. Examples of such devices are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,082,387 to Davis; U.S. Pat. No. 4,248,069 to Burbank; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,553,414 to Caputo et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,832,025 to Artner et al. discloses a cartridge tape player door mounting assembly in which a flexible door rides within tracks of a housing member in covering relation to an opening thereof so as to cover the controls for a radio and a tape cartridge receiving opening. However, there is no indication in this patent that the door can be locked in its closed position, but rather, is merely frictionally held in such closed position. Thus, such assembly is not used for anti-theft purposes. Also, such door is manually operated, whereupon a thief can merely open the door and remove the tape cassette player.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,726,632 to Pori discloses an anti-theft assembly to fasten a radio receiver into dashboards or the like of motor vehicles. In this patent, the radio receiver body is housed within a separate housing and includes an electric motor at the rear end thereof. The electric motor functions to move the radio receiver body rearwardly or forwardly within the housing. When the radio receiver body is moved rearwardly, the radio housed therein is moved therewith. In addition, due to various linkages, a front door of the housing is pivoted closed at such time. When moved forwardly, so as to provide access to the radio receiver, the front door is pivoted to an open position. This device, however, is relatively complicated since it requires a separate housing for the radio receiver which must be moved forwardly and rearwardly with the opening and the closing of the front door. Further, the front door can be easily pried open by a thief.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,722,285 to Goodman discloses a tamper-proof cabinet which is not used in an automobile. The tamper-proof cabinet has a gear driven sliding door. Specifically, Goodman discloses a flipper-style door which is movably secured at the upper portion of the side panels to a track by means of a gear so that, when closed, the door encloses the front of the cabinet. The door can be locked by a locking bolt and key operating lock. There is no motor driven mechanism with this patent.